What's Up Everyone,
Here are the discussion notes from this past Friday's CrossFire! session. When you get a chance read it through and do the homework assignment at the end. Please feel free to post your thoughts and comments... Pass the website along to your friends too!!
We'll continue our discussion this Friday, August 15 at CrossFire! The session starts promptly at 9 pm at 272 Madison Avenue, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861. Here's what's going for the rest of the month at CrossFire!
- Friday, August 15 - "God's Purpose in Marriage" Pt. 2 - Discussion addressing "What is Marriage Covenant?" and "What does God expect of married people?"
- Friday, August 22 - CrossFire! will be at Abundant Life Family Worship Center to hear Tye Tribbett fellowship with Abundant's Singles Ministry.
- Friday, August 29 - Spades Tournament Rematch and Extreme Game NIght - Back by Popular Demand... Nintendo Wii, Taboo, Music, Food, Laughs, X - Box, etc. Will Min. Deen ad Chris ever win back the championship Spades belt back? Come find out!
Your thoughts???
SOLUS CHRISTUS!!!!
What is God's purpose for marriage?
Some may say the purpose for marriage is to raise a family or to have legitimate sex. The majority of young adults who want to be married have never stopped to ponder the answer. Many don’t even care.
One answer can be found in Malachi 2:13-16. It says: "Another thing you do: You flood the LORD's altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. "I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.
So you can see from verse 15 that one reason God has ordained the institution of marriage is to produce godly seed. Some may ask, "Well, what if someone can't have kids due to a medical issue such as infertility or disease. Or what if a couple simply doesn’t want to have children?". It is key to note that when we say one of God's purpose for marriage is to produce godly seed, He likely was not only talking about biological children. There are countless Christian couples who don't necessarily have sons and daughters in the flesh, rather they have children in the spirit. A marriage produces fruit in countless other ways:
Your marriage should be an testimony to the glory of God. People should be able to see a couple’s covenant marriage and identify that union between a Christian man a Christian woman as an archetype or representation of Christ and His bride...the church. Given this, married couples can:
• Birth spiritual sons and daughters in the faith through witnessing and
discipleship.
• Mentor other young couples in building a loving godly covenant marriage
• Bear fruit in countless other ways by being a blessing to others
Scripture states that a second purpose for marriage is companionship. Genesis 2:18-25 gives us an excerpt from the familiar story of Adam and Eve. Verse 18 says, "it's not good for a man to be alone." Yes, it's not good for a man to be alone, but fellas, don't stop reading at verse 18, continue on. It later says, "I will make him a helper fit for him." The Lord made a specific mate for Adam. Actually, he put Adam to sleep and took out a rib of his to make Eve. What is that saying? Adam and Eve were compatible. If you're in a relationship, do you get along with your boyfriend/girlfriend or are you trying to fit a square peg into a round hole –so to speak ? Are you compatible... I mean, do you really like each other as people, or do you just like what they represent or what they can do for you? If it doesn't match, it just doesn't. Don't try to force the issue with people. Incompatibility is usually a red flag.
Another question that was brought up on Friday was, "what do you do when you're with someone and they maybe aren't as mature in the faith as you are? Can't they grow in the Lord?" Remember the scripture when it says, you can't be unequally yoked — 2 Corinthians 6:14? The Bible often uses agricultural analogies to speak to the people of that day who understood farming. A yoke was literally a “Y” shaped wooden bar which allows a farmer to guide or “yoke” two oxen side by side in order to plow a field. The farmer knew full well that in order to plow in straight lines to cultivate the soil, he had to pair 2 oxen of equivalent strength. If he didn’t, the plow would go askew—he couldn’t control the pair... and the ground would not be properly cultivated. That analogy carries over into our scripture. When 2 people are paired together in intimate relationship “yoked”, they need to be of similar spiritual strength in order to accomplish the will of the Master. Breaking up the fallow ground of hardened hearts toward Christ. When one is strong and the other is weak, the weak usually drags down the strong person, and the weak person is often just going through the motions spiritually. This approach does not lead to an effective marriage...
Some side comments that were made on Friday were:
* God tells you from day 1 whether that person is right for you. Are you listening?
* The question was asked if there is one soul mate for you or are there multiple choices out there for you and you need to find the right one?
* "In the absence of a proclamation there is a problem." If you're boyfriend/girlfriend has a problem with being public with your relationship, that's a red flag. Adam declared Eve VERBALLY!! Now, we're not talking about being physical and emotional in public, but if your boyfriend/girlfriend wants to keep your relationship on the "low" that person is suspect.
* You must have/be accountable to someone. Choose 2 or more couples you both respect-- who have a Godly marriage to cover you as you consider relationships. They can identify issues that you might not necessarily see being you're in the clouds with your boo (a.k.a. boo'd up) Accountability partners help and not hurt you.
* Someone once said "The good is the enemy of the great." Don't settle for good, set your eyes on the great thing. (Amen LG?)
* "It (the person) may be good, but it's not great."
* "Chemistry only matters when it's not there." (quote by A. Reid)
* One of the ways you know a person is for you is by who you are when you're around them. Are you your normal self when you're around that person or do you have to put on a show for them? (quote by Min. Dante Poole)
* In your relationships you should sense the peace and favor of God if you are in His will.
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT WEEK: (Friday, August 15)
Background: Min. Ros once had a grad school professor at Harvard say “If there were any product which failed 50% of the time, it would be recalled and reinvented. Since 1 out of every 2 new marriages ends in divorce, the concept of marriage is flawed and therefore needs to be revisited. Marriages should consist of renewable 5 or 10 year contracts which either party can end or renew at the end of an agreed upon time frame.
The Assignment:
What would you say to an unbeliever in defense of this idea? (use moral arguments, don’t use scripture)
What would you say to a Christian to talk him or her out of this idea? (use scripture)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Raisin the Hymn III & IV
Saints it's time for a new addition of "Raisin the Hymn"....
Via the expertise of my wonderful mother, "The SC Hour" welcomes the "Raisin The Hymn" section... Back in the day they used to have a section in the church service called "Raisin The Hymn", so it's only fitting that "The SC Hour" rock a section dedicated to hymns...
Ight, here is the 3rd and 4th installment of the "Raisin The Hymn".
Shout out to Kris for coming through with these classic hymns... We need to get an old school hymnal service poppin off!!!
Enjoy!!! SOLUS CHRISTUS!!!
"Draw Me Nearer"
I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, And it told Thy love to me; But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!
There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
From Kris:
I have another song that I would like to post for the RTH Section.
So many artists have done this song but I have been playing the version from Marvin Sapp all afternoon. It's so simple but the words are so beautiful and powerful.
Ok...the song is the "None Like You Medley" by Marvin Sapp.
I worship You, Almighty God,
there is none like You.
I worship You, oh Prince of Peace,
that is all I long to do.
I give You praise, for You are my righteousness.
I worship You, Almighty God;
there is none like You.
Via the expertise of my wonderful mother, "The SC Hour" welcomes the "Raisin The Hymn" section... Back in the day they used to have a section in the church service called "Raisin The Hymn", so it's only fitting that "The SC Hour" rock a section dedicated to hymns...
Ight, here is the 3rd and 4th installment of the "Raisin The Hymn".
Shout out to Kris for coming through with these classic hymns... We need to get an old school hymnal service poppin off!!!
Enjoy!!! SOLUS CHRISTUS!!!
"Draw Me Nearer"
I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, And it told Thy love to me; But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!
There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
From Kris:
I have another song that I would like to post for the RTH Section.
So many artists have done this song but I have been playing the version from Marvin Sapp all afternoon. It's so simple but the words are so beautiful and powerful.
Ok...the song is the "None Like You Medley" by Marvin Sapp.
I worship You, Almighty God,
there is none like You.
I worship You, oh Prince of Peace,
that is all I long to do.
I give You praise, for You are my righteousness.
I worship You, Almighty God;
there is none like You.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Meditation for week of 8/11
Saints,
Here's a lil bit of encouragement to those who are struggling in their walk with the Lord.
Seek Christ, don't hesitate!!!
"Oh that I were as in months past."-Job 29:2
By C.H. Spurgeon
Numbers of Christians can view the past with pleasure, but regard the present with dissatisfaction; they look back upon the days which they have passed in communing with the Lord as being the sweetest and the best they have ever known, but as to the present, it is clad in a sable garb of gloom and dreariness. Once they lived near to Jesus, but now they feel that they have wandered from Him, and they say, "O that I were as in months past!" They complain that they have lost their evidences, or that they have not present peace of mind, or that they have no enjoyment in the means of grace, or that conscience is not so tender, or that they have not so much zeal for God's glory. The causes of this mournful state of things are manifold. It may arise through a comparative neglect of prayer, for a neglected closet is the beginning of all spiritual decline. Or it may be the result of idolatry. The heart has been occupied with something else, more than with God; the affections have been set on the things of earth, instead of the things of heaven. A jealous God will not be content with a divided heart; He must be loved first and best. He will withdraw the sunshine of His presence from a cold, wandering heart. Or the cause may be found in self-confidence and self-righteousness. Pride is busy in the heart, and self is exalted instead of lying low at the foot of the cross. Christian, if you are not now as you "were in months past," do not rest satisfied with wishing for a return of former happiness, but go at once to seek your Master, and tell Him your sad state. Ask His grace and strength to help you to walk more closely with Him; humble yourself before Him, and He will lift you up, and give you yet again to enjoy the light of His countenance. Do not sit down to sigh and lament; while the beloved Physician lives there is hope, nay there is a certainty of recovery for the worst cases.
Your thoughts??? SOLUS CHRISTUS!!!
Here's a lil bit of encouragement to those who are struggling in their walk with the Lord.
Seek Christ, don't hesitate!!!
"Oh that I were as in months past."-Job 29:2
By C.H. Spurgeon
Numbers of Christians can view the past with pleasure, but regard the present with dissatisfaction; they look back upon the days which they have passed in communing with the Lord as being the sweetest and the best they have ever known, but as to the present, it is clad in a sable garb of gloom and dreariness. Once they lived near to Jesus, but now they feel that they have wandered from Him, and they say, "O that I were as in months past!" They complain that they have lost their evidences, or that they have not present peace of mind, or that they have no enjoyment in the means of grace, or that conscience is not so tender, or that they have not so much zeal for God's glory. The causes of this mournful state of things are manifold. It may arise through a comparative neglect of prayer, for a neglected closet is the beginning of all spiritual decline. Or it may be the result of idolatry. The heart has been occupied with something else, more than with God; the affections have been set on the things of earth, instead of the things of heaven. A jealous God will not be content with a divided heart; He must be loved first and best. He will withdraw the sunshine of His presence from a cold, wandering heart. Or the cause may be found in self-confidence and self-righteousness. Pride is busy in the heart, and self is exalted instead of lying low at the foot of the cross. Christian, if you are not now as you "were in months past," do not rest satisfied with wishing for a return of former happiness, but go at once to seek your Master, and tell Him your sad state. Ask His grace and strength to help you to walk more closely with Him; humble yourself before Him, and He will lift you up, and give you yet again to enjoy the light of His countenance. Do not sit down to sigh and lament; while the beloved Physician lives there is hope, nay there is a certainty of recovery for the worst cases.
Your thoughts??? SOLUS CHRISTUS!!!
Friday, August 8, 2008
The Purpose of Religion by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
What is the purpose of religion? Is it to perpetuate an idea about God? Is it totally dependent upon revelation? What part does psychological experience play? Is religion synonymous with theology?
Harry Emerson Fosdick says that the most hopeful thing about any system of theology is that it will not last. This statement will shock some. But is the purpose of religion the perpetuation of theological ideas? Religion is not validated by ideas, but by experience.
This automatically raised the question of salvation. Is the basis for salvation in creeds and dogmas or in experience? Catholics would have us believe the former. For them, the church, its creeds, its popes and bishops have recited the essence of religion and that is all there is to it. One the other hand we say that each soul must make its own reconciliation to God; that no creed can take the place of the personal experience. This was expressed by Paul Tillich when he said, "There is natural religion which belongs to man by nature. But there is also a revealed religion which man receives from a supernatural reality." Relevant religion therefore, comes through revelation from God, on the one hand, and through repentance and acceptance of salvation on the other hand. Dogma as an agent in salvation has no essential place.
This is the secret of our religion. This is what makes the saints move on in spite of problems and perplexities of life that they must face. This religion of experience by which man is aware of God seeking him and saving him helps him to see the hands of God moving through history.
Religion has to be interpreted for each age; stated in terms that that age can understand. But the essential purpose of religion remains the same. It is not to perpetuate a dogma or theology; but to produce living witnesses and testimonies to the power of God in human experience.
Your thoughts???
SOLUS CHRISTUS
Harry Emerson Fosdick says that the most hopeful thing about any system of theology is that it will not last. This statement will shock some. But is the purpose of religion the perpetuation of theological ideas? Religion is not validated by ideas, but by experience.
This automatically raised the question of salvation. Is the basis for salvation in creeds and dogmas or in experience? Catholics would have us believe the former. For them, the church, its creeds, its popes and bishops have recited the essence of religion and that is all there is to it. One the other hand we say that each soul must make its own reconciliation to God; that no creed can take the place of the personal experience. This was expressed by Paul Tillich when he said, "There is natural religion which belongs to man by nature. But there is also a revealed religion which man receives from a supernatural reality." Relevant religion therefore, comes through revelation from God, on the one hand, and through repentance and acceptance of salvation on the other hand. Dogma as an agent in salvation has no essential place.
This is the secret of our religion. This is what makes the saints move on in spite of problems and perplexities of life that they must face. This religion of experience by which man is aware of God seeking him and saving him helps him to see the hands of God moving through history.
Religion has to be interpreted for each age; stated in terms that that age can understand. But the essential purpose of religion remains the same. It is not to perpetuate a dogma or theology; but to produce living witnesses and testimonies to the power of God in human experience.
Your thoughts???
SOLUS CHRISTUS
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Just watch the video...
"But thanks be to God that yet while we were sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:6
solus christus
solus christus
The Importance of the Gospel in the Life of the believer
What's Up,
The glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ is just that - GLORIOUS!!!
A Holy Hip Hop artist put it like this... "He's Glorious, tell a friend He wins, He's victorious... Check the headlines... there's a deadline... when it come to the glory Jesus said I'ma get mine..."
And Jesus has done that throughout all eternity... get glory from needy sinners such as us. What God has done for us in the person of Jesus is of utmost importance in the life of the believer. We could spend the rest of our lives trying to unpack all that is for the believer in Christ and Christ alone... (hence Solus Christus) Just when you think you've gotten it, you only find out that you've just tipped the iceberg of the greatness of God.
During our last chop up session we ended with the question, "What are 3 ways in which the gospel is important in the life of the believer?"
We were all given a ton of scripture to help find the answers and they are:
Luke 7:50; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 2:15; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 6:14; Philippians 2:12-13; Romans 8:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Hebrews 10:36; and 1 John 3:2.
Now, I understand that the gospel is important to the believer in more ways than 3 so let me hear your thoughts... supported by scripture
Post your comments throughout the week and we'll chop it up this thursday on the SC HOUR @ 9 pm....
SOLUS CHRISTUS...
The glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ is just that - GLORIOUS!!!
A Holy Hip Hop artist put it like this... "He's Glorious, tell a friend He wins, He's victorious... Check the headlines... there's a deadline... when it come to the glory Jesus said I'ma get mine..."
And Jesus has done that throughout all eternity... get glory from needy sinners such as us. What God has done for us in the person of Jesus is of utmost importance in the life of the believer. We could spend the rest of our lives trying to unpack all that is for the believer in Christ and Christ alone... (hence Solus Christus) Just when you think you've gotten it, you only find out that you've just tipped the iceberg of the greatness of God.
During our last chop up session we ended with the question, "What are 3 ways in which the gospel is important in the life of the believer?"
We were all given a ton of scripture to help find the answers and they are:
Luke 7:50; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 2:15; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 6:14; Philippians 2:12-13; Romans 8:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Hebrews 10:36; and 1 John 3:2.
Now, I understand that the gospel is important to the believer in more ways than 3 so let me hear your thoughts... supported by scripture
Post your comments throughout the week and we'll chop it up this thursday on the SC HOUR @ 9 pm....
SOLUS CHRISTUS...
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Griff and Omar On Things Eternal....
Watch Griff and Omar of Team Sozo chop it up on things eternal...
Your thoughts...
SOLUS CHRISTUS!!!
Your thoughts...
SOLUS CHRISTUS!!!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The Glory of Rescuing Sinners, Not Removing Satan
From John Piper's "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ."
This is Chapter 9 titled: "The Glory of Rescuing Sinners, not removing Satan - The Saving Sacrifice of Jesus Christ."
If this was ESPN I would call this "an instant classic!!" Read at your leisure.
Enjoy... SOLUS CHRISTUS!!
The glory of Christ is seen in his absolute right and power to annihilate or incapacitate Satan and all demons. But the reason he refrains from destroying and disabling them altogether is to manifest more clearly his superior beauty and worth. If Christ obliterated all devils and demons now (which he could do), his sheer power would be seen as glorious, but his superior beauty and worth would not shine as brightly as when humans renounce the promises of Satan and take pleasure in the greater glory of Christ.
The devil and his angels are irredeemable. Jesus implies this when he says “eternal fire [has been] prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). And Jude confirms it when he says that the fallen angels are being “kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day” (Verse 6). Therefore, the reason Christ withholds his judgment from them now is not to give them a chance to repent and be saved.
Then why not obliterate them altogether, or at least paralyze their harmful influence? Is it because they have free will (in the sense of ultimate self-determination) and Christ cannot stop them? No. Too many texts illustrate the right and power of Christ to restrain and remove Satan and his demons. For example, 1) “[Christ] commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him” (Mark 1:27). 2) When Satan does act in freedom, it is only by divine permission. “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:31-31). 3) Even though Paul’s “thorn… in the flesh” is a “messenger of Satan,” nevertheless Christ makes it serve Paul’s humility and the display of Christ’s own power (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). 4) In the end, God will bind Satan for a thousand years, then finally, throw him into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:2, 10). Therefore, the decision to leave Satan in the world is not because Christ does not have the right and power to remove him. What, then, is the reason?
Christ must have a very high stake in the ongoing existence of Satan, because, even though he has the right and power to annihilate him now, he defeats him in stages at the cost of his own life. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). But how did he do this? Hebrews 2:14 gives one answer: “He himself likewise partook of the same things [human nature], that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, this is, the devil. In other words, Christ became human so that he could die, and by dying “destroy” the devil.
This means that Christ’s aim in defeating the devil must be something different from the mere removal of Satan’s deadly influence. He could have accomplished that with one command: “Go to hell!” And the devil would have obeyed- as one day he will! What then is the kind of defeat Christ achieved over Satan? And why is it superior to the simple removal of Satan out of history?
The key is that Satan is defeated by the death of Jesus. Paul puts it this way, referring to the death of Christ: “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Colossians 2:25). In what sense did he disarm Satan’s “rulers and authorities”? Satan still blinds (2 Corinthians 4:4) and tempts (1 Thessalonians 3:5) and deceives (Revelation 20:3) and casts into prison (Revelation 2:10) and takes captive (2 Timothy 2:26) and destroys flesh (1Corithians 5:5). He does not look disarmed or destroyed. How then is he disarmed by the death of Jesus?
One answer is that the death of Jesus nullified the damning effect of sin for all who trust in Christ. The weapon of soul-destroying sin and guilt is taken out of Satan’s hand. He is disarmed of the single weapon that can condemn us- unforgiven sin. We see this in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; “’O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Why is sin the sting of death? Because only unforgiven sin can condemn the soul and make death a door to hell, not heaven. Therefore, the way that Satan can destroy the soul is not by séances or apparitions or sickness or persecution, but only by securing the guilt of our sin. “But thanks be to God,” Paul says, “who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“Christ also suffered once for sin, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). If our sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, Satan has no damning weapon against us. He can hurt us, and even kill us, but he cannot condemn us. This is what Hebrews 2:14 meant when it said that by death Christ “destroy[ed] the one who has the power of death.” Satan had “the power of death” in the sense that he wielded the lethal sting of death. But now by the blood of Christ our sins are forgiven, and Satan’s soul-destroying power is nullified for all who are in Christ. There is no condemnation-from Satan or anyone.
You can see it again in the words “The sting of death is sin, and the power if sin is the law” (1 Corinthians 15:56). If sin is the lethal sting of death; it is because the law fixes an eternal penalty for sin. “The wages of sin is [eternal] death” (Romans 6:23). But when Christ died as our perfect substitute, Paul says that God “cancel[ed] the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands… he set [it] aside, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). So the weapon of the law was taken out of Satan’s hand. He cannot use it to condemn the people of God.
Now without sin and law to condemn and accuse and oppress us, Satan is a defeated foe. He is disarmed. Christ has triumphed over him, not by putting him out of existence, but by letting him live and watch while millions of saints find forgiveness for their sins and turn their back on Satan because of the greater glory of the grace of Christ.
It was a costly triumph. But God’s values are not so easily reckoned. If God had simply terminated Satan, then it would not have been so clear that God is both stronger and infinitely more to be desired than Satan. God wills for his glory to shine forth not only though acts of physical power, but also through acts of moral and spiritual power that display the beauty of his grace with lavish colors. To take sinners out of Satan’s hands by virtue of Christ’s sin bearing sacrifice and his law-fulfilling obedience to the Father was a more glorious victory than mere annihilation of the enemy.
A Prayer
Heavenly Father, we are sobered that you would regard the glory of your Son so highly that it would be worth the ongoing existence of Satan to make it fully known. We are ashamed that we have murmured about the battles of life when we should have made every effort to magnify your Christ-exalting reason for giving the enemy so much leash. Forgive us for failing to see your holy purposes. And now, O God, by the blood of your Son, our Savior, give us victory over Satan. Grant us to see and savor the superior worth of Christ. Let us shame Satan by making much of Jesus. Grant us to glory in the work of the cross. Help us to cherish the finished work of Christ that disarmed Satan and took the sting out of death. Teach us how to fight by faith against the power of sin, in the confidence that Christ has purchased our forgiveness and secured the triumph of all who trust in him. Turn every evil design of the devil into sanctifying schemes of love. Deliver us from his deceptions. Keep the beauty of Christ clear in the eyes of our heart. Make us instruments of Satan’s defeat until you come and slay him by the breath of your mouth. Make us valiant in delivering other by the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, your great Gospel. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
This is Chapter 9 titled: "The Glory of Rescuing Sinners, not removing Satan - The Saving Sacrifice of Jesus Christ."
If this was ESPN I would call this "an instant classic!!" Read at your leisure.
Enjoy... SOLUS CHRISTUS!!
The glory of Christ is seen in his absolute right and power to annihilate or incapacitate Satan and all demons. But the reason he refrains from destroying and disabling them altogether is to manifest more clearly his superior beauty and worth. If Christ obliterated all devils and demons now (which he could do), his sheer power would be seen as glorious, but his superior beauty and worth would not shine as brightly as when humans renounce the promises of Satan and take pleasure in the greater glory of Christ.
The devil and his angels are irredeemable. Jesus implies this when he says “eternal fire [has been] prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). And Jude confirms it when he says that the fallen angels are being “kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day” (Verse 6). Therefore, the reason Christ withholds his judgment from them now is not to give them a chance to repent and be saved.
Then why not obliterate them altogether, or at least paralyze their harmful influence? Is it because they have free will (in the sense of ultimate self-determination) and Christ cannot stop them? No. Too many texts illustrate the right and power of Christ to restrain and remove Satan and his demons. For example, 1) “[Christ] commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him” (Mark 1:27). 2) When Satan does act in freedom, it is only by divine permission. “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:31-31). 3) Even though Paul’s “thorn… in the flesh” is a “messenger of Satan,” nevertheless Christ makes it serve Paul’s humility and the display of Christ’s own power (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). 4) In the end, God will bind Satan for a thousand years, then finally, throw him into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:2, 10). Therefore, the decision to leave Satan in the world is not because Christ does not have the right and power to remove him. What, then, is the reason?
Christ must have a very high stake in the ongoing existence of Satan, because, even though he has the right and power to annihilate him now, he defeats him in stages at the cost of his own life. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). But how did he do this? Hebrews 2:14 gives one answer: “He himself likewise partook of the same things [human nature], that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, this is, the devil. In other words, Christ became human so that he could die, and by dying “destroy” the devil.
This means that Christ’s aim in defeating the devil must be something different from the mere removal of Satan’s deadly influence. He could have accomplished that with one command: “Go to hell!” And the devil would have obeyed- as one day he will! What then is the kind of defeat Christ achieved over Satan? And why is it superior to the simple removal of Satan out of history?
The key is that Satan is defeated by the death of Jesus. Paul puts it this way, referring to the death of Christ: “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Colossians 2:25). In what sense did he disarm Satan’s “rulers and authorities”? Satan still blinds (2 Corinthians 4:4) and tempts (1 Thessalonians 3:5) and deceives (Revelation 20:3) and casts into prison (Revelation 2:10) and takes captive (2 Timothy 2:26) and destroys flesh (1Corithians 5:5). He does not look disarmed or destroyed. How then is he disarmed by the death of Jesus?
One answer is that the death of Jesus nullified the damning effect of sin for all who trust in Christ. The weapon of soul-destroying sin and guilt is taken out of Satan’s hand. He is disarmed of the single weapon that can condemn us- unforgiven sin. We see this in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; “’O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Why is sin the sting of death? Because only unforgiven sin can condemn the soul and make death a door to hell, not heaven. Therefore, the way that Satan can destroy the soul is not by séances or apparitions or sickness or persecution, but only by securing the guilt of our sin. “But thanks be to God,” Paul says, “who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“Christ also suffered once for sin, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). If our sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, Satan has no damning weapon against us. He can hurt us, and even kill us, but he cannot condemn us. This is what Hebrews 2:14 meant when it said that by death Christ “destroy[ed] the one who has the power of death.” Satan had “the power of death” in the sense that he wielded the lethal sting of death. But now by the blood of Christ our sins are forgiven, and Satan’s soul-destroying power is nullified for all who are in Christ. There is no condemnation-from Satan or anyone.
You can see it again in the words “The sting of death is sin, and the power if sin is the law” (1 Corinthians 15:56). If sin is the lethal sting of death; it is because the law fixes an eternal penalty for sin. “The wages of sin is [eternal] death” (Romans 6:23). But when Christ died as our perfect substitute, Paul says that God “cancel[ed] the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands… he set [it] aside, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). So the weapon of the law was taken out of Satan’s hand. He cannot use it to condemn the people of God.
Now without sin and law to condemn and accuse and oppress us, Satan is a defeated foe. He is disarmed. Christ has triumphed over him, not by putting him out of existence, but by letting him live and watch while millions of saints find forgiveness for their sins and turn their back on Satan because of the greater glory of the grace of Christ.
It was a costly triumph. But God’s values are not so easily reckoned. If God had simply terminated Satan, then it would not have been so clear that God is both stronger and infinitely more to be desired than Satan. God wills for his glory to shine forth not only though acts of physical power, but also through acts of moral and spiritual power that display the beauty of his grace with lavish colors. To take sinners out of Satan’s hands by virtue of Christ’s sin bearing sacrifice and his law-fulfilling obedience to the Father was a more glorious victory than mere annihilation of the enemy.
A Prayer
Heavenly Father, we are sobered that you would regard the glory of your Son so highly that it would be worth the ongoing existence of Satan to make it fully known. We are ashamed that we have murmured about the battles of life when we should have made every effort to magnify your Christ-exalting reason for giving the enemy so much leash. Forgive us for failing to see your holy purposes. And now, O God, by the blood of your Son, our Savior, give us victory over Satan. Grant us to see and savor the superior worth of Christ. Let us shame Satan by making much of Jesus. Grant us to glory in the work of the cross. Help us to cherish the finished work of Christ that disarmed Satan and took the sting out of death. Teach us how to fight by faith against the power of sin, in the confidence that Christ has purchased our forgiveness and secured the triumph of all who trust in him. Turn every evil design of the devil into sanctifying schemes of love. Deliver us from his deceptions. Keep the beauty of Christ clear in the eyes of our heart. Make us instruments of Satan’s defeat until you come and slay him by the breath of your mouth. Make us valiant in delivering other by the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, your great Gospel. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Solus Christus IV
What's Up Ya'll...
Attached is the sermon that we'll listen to as we work through 1 John. If you want to recommend any other sources of information that will help us understand 1 John please don't hesitate to post them.
The speaker's name is Paul Washer. He's a reformed believer so you won't necessarily hear the b flat from the organ in the background. It's an excellent sermon that will help you understand 1 John in addition to studying it during your devotional time.
Oh, thanks for keeping it real on the "SC Hour"... As Jolina said... "Lord keep a fence around me...."
SOLUS CHRISTUS!!!
REMEMBER, STARTING NEXT WEEK THE SOLUS CHRISTUS HOUR WILL BE ON THURSDAY'S AT 9 PM
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=32607155852
Attached is the sermon that we'll listen to as we work through 1 John. If you want to recommend any other sources of information that will help us understand 1 John please don't hesitate to post them.
The speaker's name is Paul Washer. He's a reformed believer so you won't necessarily hear the b flat from the organ in the background. It's an excellent sermon that will help you understand 1 John in addition to studying it during your devotional time.
Oh, thanks for keeping it real on the "SC Hour"... As Jolina said... "Lord keep a fence around me...."
SOLUS CHRISTUS!!!
REMEMBER, STARTING NEXT WEEK THE SOLUS CHRISTUS HOUR WILL BE ON THURSDAY'S AT 9 PM
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=32607155852
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Raisin' The Hymn II
Saints it's time for a new addition of "Raisin the Hymn"....
Via the expertise of my wonderful mother, "The SC Hour" welcomes the "Raisin The Hymn" section... Back in the day they used to have a section in the church service called "Raisin The Hymn", so it's only fitting that "The SC Hour" rock a section dedicated to hymns...
Ya'll remember this one??
Verse 1
Yield not to temp-ta-tion, For yield-ing is sin; Each vic-t'ry will
help you Some oth-er to win; Fight man-ful-ly on-ward,
Dark pas-sion sub-due; Look ev-er to Je-sus, He'll car-ry you through.
Verse 2
Shun e-vil com-pan-ions, Bad lan-guage dis-dain; God's name hold in rev-'rence, Nor take it in vain; Be thoughtful and ear-nest, Kind- heart-ed and true; Look ev-er to Je-sus, He'll car-ry you through.
Verse 3
To him that o'er-com-eth, God giv-eth a crown, Thro' faith we will con-quer, Tho' oft-en cast down; He who is our Sav-ior, Our strength will re-new; Look ev-er to Jes-sus, He'll car-ry you through.
Chorus
Ask the Sav-ior to help you, Comfort, strengthen and keep you; He is will-ing to aid you, He will car-ry you through.
Via the expertise of my wonderful mother, "The SC Hour" welcomes the "Raisin The Hymn" section... Back in the day they used to have a section in the church service called "Raisin The Hymn", so it's only fitting that "The SC Hour" rock a section dedicated to hymns...
Ya'll remember this one??
Verse 1
Yield not to temp-ta-tion, For yield-ing is sin; Each vic-t'ry will
help you Some oth-er to win; Fight man-ful-ly on-ward,
Dark pas-sion sub-due; Look ev-er to Je-sus, He'll car-ry you through.
Verse 2
Shun e-vil com-pan-ions, Bad lan-guage dis-dain; God's name hold in rev-'rence, Nor take it in vain; Be thoughtful and ear-nest, Kind- heart-ed and true; Look ev-er to Je-sus, He'll car-ry you through.
Verse 3
To him that o'er-com-eth, God giv-eth a crown, Thro' faith we will con-quer, Tho' oft-en cast down; He who is our Sav-ior, Our strength will re-new; Look ev-er to Jes-sus, He'll car-ry you through.
Chorus
Ask the Sav-ior to help you, Comfort, strengthen and keep you; He is will-ing to aid you, He will car-ry you through.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
In the midst of it all...
What's Up Ya'll... It's interesting how the Lord knows how to get your attention... even when a million and one things are poppin off...
I'm here on the West Coast at the BET Awards taking a break... (a much needed one at that!!) and I logged onto the computer for the first time in a couple of days and I read the following from Charles Spurgeon...
"Thou art fairer than the children of men."-Psalm 45:2
The entire person of Jesus is but as one gem, and His life is all along but one impression of the seal. He is altogether complete; not only in His several parts, but as a gracious all-glorious whole. His character is not a mass of fair colours mixed confusedly, nor a heap of precious stones laid carelessly one upon another; He is a picture of beauty and a breastplate of glory. In Him, all the "things of good repute" are in their proper places, and assist in adorning each other. Not one feature in His glorious person attracts attention at the expense of others; but He is perfectly and altogether lovely. Oh, Jesus! Thy power, Thy grace, Thy justice, Thy tenderness, Thy truth, Thy majesty, and Thine immutability make up such a man, or rather such a God-man, as neither heaven nor earth hath seen elsewhere. Thy infancy, Thy eternity, Thy sufferings, Thy triumphs, Thy death, and Thine immortality, are all woven in one gorgeous tapestry, without seam or rent. Thou art music without discord; Thou art many, and yet not divided; Thou art all things, and yet not diverse. As all the colours blend into one resplendent rainbow, so all the glories of heaven and earth meet in Thee, and unite so wondrously, that there is none like Thee in all things; nay, if all the virtues of the most excellent were bound in one bundle, they could not rival Thee, Thou mirror of all perfection. Thou hast been anointed with the holy oil of myrrh and cassia, which Thy God hath reserved for Thee alone; and as for Thy fragrance, it is as the holy perfume, the like of which none other can ever mingle, even with! the art of the apothecary; each spice is fragrant, but the compound is divine.
"Oh, sacred symmetry! oh, rare connectionOf many perfects, to make one perfection!Oh, heavenly music, where all parts do meetIn one sweet strain, to make one perfect sweet!"
With so many things going on in preparation for the Awards, Christ reminded me how glorious, wonderful, excellent, awesome, perfect, on a whole nother level, off da hook, and whatever words you can think of He is...
Soli Deo Gloria!!!
Post your comments...
I'm here on the West Coast at the BET Awards taking a break... (a much needed one at that!!) and I logged onto the computer for the first time in a couple of days and I read the following from Charles Spurgeon...
"Thou art fairer than the children of men."-Psalm 45:2
The entire person of Jesus is but as one gem, and His life is all along but one impression of the seal. He is altogether complete; not only in His several parts, but as a gracious all-glorious whole. His character is not a mass of fair colours mixed confusedly, nor a heap of precious stones laid carelessly one upon another; He is a picture of beauty and a breastplate of glory. In Him, all the "things of good repute" are in their proper places, and assist in adorning each other. Not one feature in His glorious person attracts attention at the expense of others; but He is perfectly and altogether lovely. Oh, Jesus! Thy power, Thy grace, Thy justice, Thy tenderness, Thy truth, Thy majesty, and Thine immutability make up such a man, or rather such a God-man, as neither heaven nor earth hath seen elsewhere. Thy infancy, Thy eternity, Thy sufferings, Thy triumphs, Thy death, and Thine immortality, are all woven in one gorgeous tapestry, without seam or rent. Thou art music without discord; Thou art many, and yet not divided; Thou art all things, and yet not diverse. As all the colours blend into one resplendent rainbow, so all the glories of heaven and earth meet in Thee, and unite so wondrously, that there is none like Thee in all things; nay, if all the virtues of the most excellent were bound in one bundle, they could not rival Thee, Thou mirror of all perfection. Thou hast been anointed with the holy oil of myrrh and cassia, which Thy God hath reserved for Thee alone; and as for Thy fragrance, it is as the holy perfume, the like of which none other can ever mingle, even with! the art of the apothecary; each spice is fragrant, but the compound is divine.
"Oh, sacred symmetry! oh, rare connectionOf many perfects, to make one perfection!Oh, heavenly music, where all parts do meetIn one sweet strain, to make one perfect sweet!"
With so many things going on in preparation for the Awards, Christ reminded me how glorious, wonderful, excellent, awesome, perfect, on a whole nother level, off da hook, and whatever words you can think of He is...
Soli Deo Gloria!!!
Post your comments...
Saturday, June 14, 2008
This is my new life...
"Most Christians think the Christian life is struggling to be something you're not. It's not, it's being what you are now, a new creature. - Paul Washer
What do you think about that comment? Post your thoughts and please support it with Scripture.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).
What do you think about that comment? Post your thoughts and please support it with Scripture.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).
Friday, June 13, 2008
A Pastor's Struggle...
Here is the quote from the Pastor I referred to as we ended The Solus Christus Hour II. His comments are in reference to our worship towards God and how terribly short we fall in giving Him is due praise....
Author: Rev. Bryn MacPhail
"One of my greatest challenges every Sunday is a challenge that may surprise you. My greatest challenge each and every Sunday is to avoid blaspheming God from this pulpit.
No, it's not that I'm lacking confidence in my theology. And it's not that I'm lacking confidence in interpreting the Scriptures. It's just that, each Sunday, I am keenly aware of the human tendency to worship a god that is smaller than the God revealed in the Bible.
A.W. Tozer is correct when he says that, 'What comes to our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us'(Tozer, Knowledge Of The Holy , 1). Since what we believe about God is so vital, we must constantly be on guard against worshiping a god that is smaller than the biblical God. Worshiping a god that is smaller than the real God is the essence of idolatry--and it is a sin we are all guilty of.
Go ahead and picture God in your mind, right now. Try to imagine His holiness. Try to imagine His character. Try to imagine His infinitude. Guess what? You all, inevitably, just pictured a God that is too small. Our highest thoughts of God do not do justice to His greatness. That is why Paul is quick to confess, "How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? "(Rom. 11:33, 34).
Your comments....
Author: Rev. Bryn MacPhail
"One of my greatest challenges every Sunday is a challenge that may surprise you. My greatest challenge each and every Sunday is to avoid blaspheming God from this pulpit.
No, it's not that I'm lacking confidence in my theology. And it's not that I'm lacking confidence in interpreting the Scriptures. It's just that, each Sunday, I am keenly aware of the human tendency to worship a god that is smaller than the God revealed in the Bible.
A.W. Tozer is correct when he says that, 'What comes to our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us'(Tozer, Knowledge Of The Holy , 1). Since what we believe about God is so vital, we must constantly be on guard against worshiping a god that is smaller than the biblical God. Worshiping a god that is smaller than the real God is the essence of idolatry--and it is a sin we are all guilty of.
Go ahead and picture God in your mind, right now. Try to imagine His holiness. Try to imagine His character. Try to imagine His infinitude. Guess what? You all, inevitably, just pictured a God that is too small. Our highest thoughts of God do not do justice to His greatness. That is why Paul is quick to confess, "How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? "(Rom. 11:33, 34).
Your comments....
Raisin' The Hymn I
Via the expertise of my wonderful mother, "The SC Hour" welcomes the "Raisin The Hymn" section... Back in the day they used to have a section in the church service called "Raisin The Hymn", so it's only fitting that "The SC Hour" rock a section dedicated to hymns...
The first one I think works perfectly with our recent conversation on "The SC Hour" regarding how unbelievers and believers alike will mourn when Christ comes back. Like Richelle said in her last comment, "Zachariah 12:10 also implies that all people including the saints will mourn for "whom they pierced."
Check this hymn out....
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Were you there when they pierced Him in the side?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Chorus:
(were you there?) Oh!.... Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble, Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
The first one I think works perfectly with our recent conversation on "The SC Hour" regarding how unbelievers and believers alike will mourn when Christ comes back. Like Richelle said in her last comment, "Zachariah 12:10 also implies that all people including the saints will mourn for "whom they pierced."
Check this hymn out....
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Were you there when they pierced Him in the side?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Chorus:
(were you there?) Oh!.... Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble, Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Thursday, June 12, 2008
This week on The Solus Christus Hour!
What's Up,
I first just wanna give God the up most praise (even though my highest praise falls terribly short of what He deserves) for last night's "SC Hour." Yo the joy of the Lord is our strength. As we were talking about the glory of the Lord, Griff and Izzy made some comments that got me so excited because I was reminded of how glorious He is. This dude holds all the waters of the universe in the palm of His hand!!! Think about that!!! We're talking about His palm, not including His fingers and the rest of His hand!!! As Griff said yesterday, "what is He doing with His other hand?"
And then the ill analogy that Izzy hit us with regarding the Cherubims and how they have been seeing a different aspect of Jesus since the beginning of eternity... That's so major!!!
Post your comments about last night's SC Hour and let's continue to chop it up...
I first just wanna give God the up most praise (even though my highest praise falls terribly short of what He deserves) for last night's "SC Hour." Yo the joy of the Lord is our strength. As we were talking about the glory of the Lord, Griff and Izzy made some comments that got me so excited because I was reminded of how glorious He is. This dude holds all the waters of the universe in the palm of His hand!!! Think about that!!! We're talking about His palm, not including His fingers and the rest of His hand!!! As Griff said yesterday, "what is He doing with His other hand?"
And then the ill analogy that Izzy hit us with regarding the Cherubims and how they have been seeing a different aspect of Jesus since the beginning of eternity... That's so major!!!
Post your comments about last night's SC Hour and let's continue to chop it up...
Monday, June 9, 2008
Last week on The Solus Christus Hour!
My question is, who is mourning when the Son of Man appears?? And why are they mourning?
Even bigger than that, it's crazy how EVERYONE will see Him when He appears! No matter what you're doing, where you are, you WILL see him when He appears. You could be in New Jersey, I can be in Africa, someone else could be in England, and we'll all see the coming of the Son of Man!! How crazy is that!!! NOW THAT'S MY GOD!!!
Post your comments and let's chop it up...
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